Remote control systems for controlling locomotives are known in the art. Broadly stated, a remote control system for a locomotive has two main components, namely a remote control device and a locomotive control device. Typically, the locomotive control device is mounted on board the locomotive and is adapted for receiving command signals sent by the remote control device over a wireless communication link. The remote control device is typically a portable unit that is carried by a human operator located at a certain distance from the locomotive. When the operator would like to cause a movement of the locomotive in a certain direction, or at a certain speed, for example, he or she manipulates the controls on the remote control device in order to specify the desired parameters (i.e. forward, backwards, speed, etc.). The parameters are encoded into a command signal, which is sent by the remote control device to the locomotive control device. The locomotive control device processes the command signal and issues local control signals to a control interface for causing the desired commands to be implemented by the locomotive.
Typically, locomotive remote control systems are designed for controlling a locomotive in a specific railroad environment. For example, a system may be designed for controlling locomotives within a certain geographical region, by a certain operator, or during a certain time of day. A reason for designing locomotive remote control systems for controlling locomotives under certain conditions is that it allows safety requirements to be built into the system. A common example of this can be found in remote control systems that are operative to control locomotives located within a switchyard. The remote control systems that are used to control locomotives located within a switchyard are designed such that a user is able to transmit a predetermined set of commands to instruct the locomotives to move at predetermined speeds within the switchyard.
A deficiency with existing remote control systems is that a single remote control system is unable to be used to control a locomotive in a wide range of different situations, and under different conditions. For example, a remote control system that is designed to control a locomotive in a switchyard, may not be suitable to control the locomotive outside the switchyard. As such, in order to be able to control a locomotive in many different situations, and under many different conditions, different remote control systems, or at least different operator remote control devices, are needed. This is both expensive and inconvenient.
Against this background, it appears that there exists a need in the industry to develop a remote control system for a locomotive that reduces the costs and inconvenience associated with existing remote control systems.